Rogue Trader: The Saga of the Demetrius Dynasty... (Inactive)

Game Master Alexander Kilcoyne

I'd be happy to get the ball rolling, but RT is an EXCELLENT system for hotseat GMing- we could roll up and make the ship together, and have characters busy elsewhere within the Dynasty when that player wants to GM. We could hotseat per endeavour or just whenever a GM has had enough (although sticking out the endeavour is recommended!).

I have all the resources necessary so if you don't I have that front covered.

Any interest? Just testing the waters before I start this one up.

I have Dark Heresy, and I've been gm for a few scenarios, are the rules for RT very different or do I know enough to take part in this if it comes of the ground?

The combat rules for RT are the errated rules from DH. The system mechanics are much the same. Having played both I prefer RT, both for mechanics and fluff.

The ship combat rules are a little bit complex but much simpler than the battlefleet: gothika rules they are based off.

Well, assuming it comes off and it's possible, I'd participate, and if not, then good luck to those that do end up in it. I have little doubt that it will come off in the end.

I'll record interest.

The more I think about this the more i'm set on running it. I want a group of six of us- so need interest from five people.

I am interested and I have the books, but I have never played it or run it. I would probably need help to create a character.

That shouldn't be an issue, I can help with chargen. What i'll need from players (assuming we get enough) are character concepts. Because you will all be part of a Rogue Trader dynasty you'll likely find opportunities to tie your backstories together. Using te origin path itself gives you plenty of seeds to develop your character.

Interested despite having NO books or anything else - should be OK on the cannon though. Worked for GW about 16 years ago.

Interested despite having NO books or anything else - should be OK on the cannon though. Worked for GW about 16 years ago.

Lack of books is no problem.

Are you using strictly the classes/paths of Rogue Trader or Dark Heresy (lvl 5 advancement) too?

We'll be using RT classes, but the extra careers from Into the Storm will be available at later ranks too. We'll also be using the Into the Storm expanded origin path and ship origin path. I'd rather not throw DH classes into the mix.

Some quick links I have up for my RL RT group-

A history of the Koronus Expanse. This region is the setting for Rogue Trader, much like the Calixis Sector is the setting for Dark Heresy.

Link

Rogue Trader Character Sheet-

Link

Ship Record Sheet -

Link

Koronus Expanse Map

Link

Dark Reign 40K website. One of the best fan websites dedicated to 40K RPG, theres a lot of very handy resources on there for players or GM's

Link

A quick example of character gen-

Link

If anyone is interested but doesn't feel they understand 40K or the fluff/canon very well seriously don't worry about it- I actually don't know the fluff that well myself, but I know enough, which is in fact very little. You'll pick it up as you play.

Dice Rolls for Characteristics

WS 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (1, 4) + 25 = 30

BS 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (6, 5) + 25 = 36

STR 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (9, 1) + 25 = 35

T 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (1, 10) + 25 = 36

AG 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (4, 7) + 25 = 36

INT 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (10, 7) + 25 = 42

PER 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (10, 1) + 25 = 36

WIL 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (3, 1) + 25 = 29

FEL 2d10 + 25 ⇒ (7, 2) + 25 = 34

Hmm...Int is the high attribute. Looks like I'm aiming for a smart character.

Best to hold off char genning until we get the numbers- but I don't require the rolls to be organically rolled. Theres very few 'dump' stats in RT, some are less useful to individual careers but everyone ideally wants a good roll in all stats.

Organic rolling also cripples character concepts, so thats why i'm against it.

Also Smerg you'll be getting a full stat re-roll when we do character gen, that was well out of the range with only a single roll above average.

Edit: Group seeks one more player for PbP Rogue Trader!

Shameless recruitment bump.

I am pretty good with the fluff, but I'm a bit afraid of the crunch side of things. But I will do my best.

The principle is very simple. Roll 1d100 ⇒ 52 under your relevant stat, skill etc.

The hard part to remember is the modifiers.

Smerg, Nightflier, Hymenopterix and Boggbear- are you guys happy to play as a four? If so reply to confirm interest then give me your e-mail address in a spoiler.

I am good with four.

I'm in. - Might need a bit of hand-holding with the rules though.

Hmmm, in a world like 40K life is cheap, one can easily get killed even by accident, 5 would be better, but I'm ok with four anyway if it comes to that.

Just need your e-mail address Nightflier. Who has access to the core book?

I'm in and I have DH, RT and DW core books.

I was hoping to be able to make the RT core book and into the storm available to you all- we can get away without Into the Storm we only need it for character generation option and I can print screen the relevant sections, but if any of you you don't have access to/can't find anywhere to download the rogue trader core rulebook you will struggle.

Just downloaded a copy of the core book so I'm good.

Maybe you can e-mail hymen the link?

I sent the link I used, let's hope it works.

I have access to RT but not Into the Storm.

The extra equipment in Into the Storm is nice, but the only thing we'll really need is the expanded origin path, the new homeworlds and the ship origin path.

Are there anything new for the Navigators? New families or powers?

There are new navigator powers, new homeworld options for everyone and alternate career ranks later on (they work like the DH ones, you take them instead of a rank of current career).

I've sent you all an e-mail.

I've got the mail.

I got the email.

With my e-mail everyone should now (hopefully) have access to the core book and into the storm. I feel its better the ship and its history, and the dynasty and its history be designed/written before anyone makes a character.

From my scan of the document there are a couple ways that we could proceed with the ship and warrant.

One way would be to aim towards maximizing either the Ship Factor or the Profit Factor.

Usually things that give good Ship Factors provide poor Profit Factors; so, these aims are mutually exclusive.

Another way to proceed would be by going for a middle of the road approach where you aim for a more balanced mixture of the two types.

Another way would be to have each person going around in circle choosing from the possible options what seemed the most 'interesting' choice at the time to pick. We could all vote for the first level choice (warrant age) as this has the biggest choice and after that we could live with what ever the next person picks. We could do a final vote on the last level too (warrant renown).

Generally the strategies boil down to;

1> I want a big and powerful ship now (short range outlook for immediate power).
2> I want to be rich and gain power later (longer range outlook with power possibly down the road as fortunes are traded for more ship at a later date).
3> Confused and unsure of what I really want so take the middle path to leave options open for later.
4> Ship and Profit are less important then a fun story. Choose the path that is interesting and don't fret the mechanics.

This is all my personal quick read and subjective thoughts posted to help start a conversation rather then rant like a loon. Feel free to contradict me and tell me how wrong I am or provide your own thoughts on how we should proceed with the ship and warrant.

Maybe you have an idea for the ship we should have and have a minimum 'goal' value of Ship Factors we should aim to acquire in this stage and the career stage.

I just wandered down this far on the forums by accident and found this gem! Got room for one more?

I just wandered down this far on the forums by accident and found this gem! Got room for one more?

** spoiler omitted **

BTW, I do have the core book.

Sure, do you have Into the Storm?

We will be using the warrant/ship origin path from that. I thought it would be nice if everyone made ONE choice including me, so we all have a hand in the dynasty's background etc.

I will start us off by choosing the Warrant Age.

The Waning-

(I can't copy and paste from my pdf so i'll summarise here.)

The Dynasty was granted its warrant only a few generations ago, making it one of the many upstart Houses in these desperate times. The Imperium is slowly losing ground to chaos, xenos, heretics- while continually the ancient technology becomes rarer and rarer and plunged into obscurity. Your house was granted the Warrant of Trade in the hope that it would inspire you to go out and make gains for the Imperium- the warrants so recently granted are often mockingly referred to as 'suicide notes' by the older houses. However, your house is full of energy and determined to prove itself in the vast opportunities that can be found in the Koronus Expanse.

Ship Points- 4

Profit Factor- 2

Please feel free to write fluff text about the house in keeping with the theme of the choices we make. We'll also need a house name, which should match the surname of the player who will be taking the Rogue Trader class.

The next person to make a choice will be Smerg, who can choose from 'Rising Star' or 'Ascending' to determine the fortune and fate of your starting dynasty.

Sure, do you have Into the Storm?

No, I do not.

E-Mail incoming to you then.

Just some thought goals on how many SP we need to acquire.

A basic Transport is 20 SP.
A raider is around around 30 to 40 SP
A frigate is around 40 to 50 SP
A Light cruiser is around 55 SP
A cruiser is around 60 SP.

The worst that we should come out of this is with 32 SP and the best is 58 SP.

------------------

For my part, I am going to choose 'Rising Star'.

Ship Points +12 Current Total 16

Profit Factor +10 Current Total 12

The house has found a quick rise in their prominence by marrying their fortunes to an older house with a Patriarch almost dead and with no apparent successor. The older houses fortunes are being consumed from within by the younger members of the house with the new warrant.

Other eyes look upon the older trade house being consumed and look to see if they might carve a few blocks off for themselves.

Maybe in the houses dying days the patriarch might yet produce an heir that will have the weight a dying house to save before the young wolves can fully consume it. Maybe the older house will bequest their warrant to the young house which has married its fortunes to the older house.

How does that sound for a bit of fluff and intrigue to go with the rising star. Our house would be the younger house marrying fortunes to the older house to consume it and its warrant from the inside.

I like the ideas but with a contract from the Waning Age (effectively the current age) I don't see any house with that Warrant being an old one. Unless you mean the warrant is the new houses (i.e. us) and we're just swallowing the old houses assets?

I'd personally like to see a nice frigate. In my RL Rogue Trader game they got 60SP and low PF, but even that could only afford a somewhat battered cruiser with incompetent crew (+5SP for having rubbish crew) and not a full set of guns.

Boggbear, you can pick the Acquisition- effectively how the dynasty got hold of its warrant. Your choices are Exile, Blackmail, or Prize of War.

I like the ideas but with a contract from the Waning Age (effectively the current age) I don't see any house with that Warrant being an old one. Unless you mean the warrant is the new houses (i.e. us) and we're just swallowing the old houses assets?

I'd personally like to see a nice frigate. In my RL Rogue Trader game they got 60SP and low PF, but even that could only afford a somewhat battered cruiser with incompetent crew (+5SP for having rubbish crew) and not a full set of guns.

Yes, our house is the young rising stars that are swallowing the old house assets. Instead of floundering around with a warrant that will tax all our resources to try and fulfill, we've chosen an older 'dead' house near our warrant geographically to pillage.

I got the idea from the second paragraph of Rising Star on p 37 of Into the Storm. "Perhaps and old, ineffectual or outright incompetent patriarch has been replaced with a younger, more dynamic progeny." The progeny in this example is not coming from within the old house but is coming from the new house (us) who are taking advantage of the situation.

Oh, Prize of war most defiantly, can't be anything else for me.

On an unnamed (for now) deathworld the Imperial campaign was floundering, at the very edge of the system it was a hard planet to get supplies to and cut off by a fleet of chaos ships.
The world itself contained resources needed for the continuing campaign against the empires numerous enemies in other sectors, but the warmaster was unwilling to commit more resources to the cause in light of the previous losses.
Instead he instituted a prize, whoever could get through the blockade and render assistance to the dwindling Imperial guard would be allowed to choose a reward of their own making as a prize of war.

Our Dynasty (with heavy losses) was the one who managed to get much needed food and ammunition through the chaos fleet through an act of daring (some would say foolhardy daring), and as a prize, we claimed a trade warrant.

Not the most poetic work I've ever done, but I'll let you guys tell me just how horrible it is haha

Its the ideas that matter, we can fill it out further later :).

Ok, so Prize of War gives 6SP and 8PF, for a total of...

22SP so far.

20PF.

Nightflier, you'll be picking the dynastys sanction- what the house is known for. We've drifted into the middle of the table so your options are Halo Artefacts, Fall of the Tellurian Columbine and The Meritech Wars.

Note that the Halo Artefacts will allow you to pick one Xenos component when ship building.

Ha-ha, what a diplomatic way to tell me I have no business writing stories, criticism taken with good humor :).

Ha-ha, what a diplomatic way to tell me I have no business writing stories, criticism taken with good humor :).

Theres no critiscism :) I like the affiliation with the guard in particular as it may be a talking point for the endeavour I have planned... :P

Well, I figured the guards would be a pretty good repeat customer at certain areas, having read numerous books (not to mention the Dawn of war games) it seems obvious that SOME of the guard know when they should swallow being throne-bothering-boors and take a little "unconventional" help.

While we're discussing this stuff, have people thought about what role they would like to play? I don't want any class duplication but i'll give my quick thoughts on each class.

Me: I am happy to play pretty much any of them, so i'll claim a class once everyone has picked that i'll play when we hotseat GM.

Rogue Trader: I'd really like one of you to be the Rogue Trader. All members of the command crew are effectively equal in importance, but the Rogue Trader is the commanding glue that keeps the dynasty together. The rogue trader gets access to some very nice command-style talents early, and is a very competent melee warrior and also a lovely dual-pistol wielder. Skills are good and varied too. Their class ability is extremely powerful.

Arch Militant: Mr Shooty mc Shoot. The scariest person aboard the ship, revered simply for his awesome power in a shootout. The Arch Militant gets a lot of 'lone wolf' style talents, reasonable skills and can serve as a commander of men too.

Astropath Transcendent: Blind psyker (that functions as though not blind) that servers as 40K e-mail. Their connection to the Emperor makes their psyker abilities far safer than Sorcerors and Rogue Psykers, and their powers are often telikinetic and telepathic in nature. I wouldn't recommend if you haven't played 40K RPG before.

Explorator: Specialised tech-priest. Despite being skills heavy, nothing can soak damage like an Explorator can. Lots of interesting and unique talents.

Missionary: Bringing the Emperor's light to heathen worlds- or purging them in flames!!! The missionary is also arguably the best melee warrior, except perhaps the Rogue Trader.

Navigator: Specialised mutant psyker that guides the ship through the warp.

Seneschal: Operative, spy, jack-of-all-trades and Spymaster- never to be underestimated. My personal favourite (but i've played it too much anyway)

Void-Master: Ship specialist. Often the pilot, with incredible reflexes and skillful aim with a pistol.

(k i got lazy at the end i'll admit sorry)